Campaigning for both teams in the NUS Referendum is starting to get in full swing with each side desperate to express their views and win your vote. Southampton is hosting the NUS President, Liam Burns to answer your questions on all things concerning the NUS Between 6 and 8pm tonight.
Expect to hear about a range of views from costs and possible savings, national representation, discount cards and the changing state of higher education. As usual, The Tab will be providing a stream of witty and impartial comments directly to your computer screens.
19.54
The Soton Tab will be providing more NUS Referendum coverage over the next few weeks. Follow us for up-to-date coverage.
Over and Out.
19.53
Jesters or Sobar? obviously not Nightlife
19.53
Coming to a close now, cheers for following this everyone!
19.53
Q: Jesters or Sobar?
Liam Burns: JESTERS! For the Jesticles!
19.53
BREAKING NEWS: Liam prefers Jesters over Sobar
19.52
good call Liam
19.52
Jesters or Sobar?
key question….Liam : Jesters
19.52
Last question!
19.52
Via Twitter:
Enjoying the liveblog at the Yes2NUS launch event, keep up the rapido typing guys
Thanks Bridget!
19.52
NUS policy on Palestine?
Liam: ‘not actively working on this – just our belief, it’s about dialogue on campus, keeping campus a safe space for students, got tools and resources on how students can run these discussions’
19.51
Shout out to Tab readers submitting their questions and comments
19.51
Questions getting repeated – either this is gone on too long or people don’t like listening to him
19.50
Someone brought up Palestine, there’s only 10 minutes left …
19.50
Ellis Sims, bringing out the big guns asking the NUS’ position on Palestine. It seems to make a massive appearance on NUS conferences
19.50
only five mins left, get your questions in!
19.50
Liam’s mate Jamie is nodding off – heard all this rubbish before
19.49
TEN MINUTES LEFT!
19.49
Confusion between NUS’ No Platform policy and where and when they can interfere
19.49
These conferences sound monolithic, so much debate !
19.48
Shane, Sasha and Sam probably watching Liam for public speaking tips right now
19.48
David Gunns has left the room – he probably wasn’t engaged enough
19.48
Q: How can NUS help support religious students?
A: “worked on for 4 years, integrating interfaith. Really crunchy issue, now we have a dedicated staff member, and an active area of campaign for 3 years now”
19.47
In other words how can NUS do Shane’s Job
19.45
“How can NUS support students at other sites?”
19.45
Liam covering niche subjects e.g. medicine. Trying to explain support for them. The person who answered isn’t satisfied with is answer.
19.45
Q: People are still sent to the fees debate/demo as SUSU members still attended?
A: SUSU weren’t involved in the lobbying campaign etc, meeting MP’s beforehand.
19.44
yeah we can go to the protests but we can’t contribute to the discussion deciding WHAT we are protesting about – seems a bit s**t tbh
19.43
Back to fees, big issue!
19.43
Liam Burns taking ‘sites’ as arty students
19.41
ears prick at the mention of Nestle.
Who remembers this bad boy? https://sotontab.co.uk/news/2011/01/04/feminist-misleads-students-spreading-nestle-lies-with-help-of-the-wessex-scene/
19.41
General Election? i thought you weren’t politicians
19.40
Campaigning for interns…
19.39
No Nestle – but i want a kit kat
19.38
Nestle boycott has come up…s**t storm coming
19.38
Only lefties, No team and the Meh team here in the room now
19.37
Simon Boyce spotting flaws in the NUS accounts
19.35
Speaker for the Yes team ‘Southampton has sites’ – good knowledge there
19.33
Next thing you know he’ll be taking credit for the parting of the waves
19.33
Q: “How much is a Smirnoff double vodka?”
A: Some massive speil that we cannot understand, but no price was given.
Q: “How can Solent give £1 NUS cards?”
A; “Blue Monday is promotion for NUS cards to help sales”
19.32
did NUS fail students in regards to 9k fees?
Will affiliation just lead to soton being bombarded by marketing?
19.32
Did the NUS fail students with 9k fees ? Interesting answer to come !
19.31
how much political clout will Southampton have in the NUS?
Liam: you are a larger institution so would get more delegates to conference (3x average amount)
19.29
NUS can mobilize, even Ruby Wax got involved!
19.28
Awkward moment when one person let’s slip that we can already get Extra cards…
19.27
Apparently vodka at SUSU is cheaper then jesters – Sabbs are so out of touch
19.26
Some Vodka facts being thrown around…
19.25
Q ‘How big is our political clout as 1 in 600?’
19.24
‘Getting better and better in the last 2 years’ – still not an actual answer then to what has changed then..
19.23
‘how much is a double vodka and coke going to be?’
19.22
‘Believe in colectiveness’ sure you said ‘You like to segregate’ – make your mind up!
19.20
VIA Twitter:
why would London met worry Southampton. Many schools have a system in place to ensure visa students studying already.
19.19
2 hour slot is looking optimistic…
19.17
Sabb from NUS uni:
“We talk to them more than anyone, allows us to do our job better”
19.17
They’re not just for sabbs but actually they spend far more time with them , then actual students
19.16
We elected our sabbs…remember?
19.16
NUS is not a Trade Union, from Liam’s own mouth.
19.16
We’re on Twitter by the way!
19.15
We can confirm Liam Burns is still alive and has not been attacked (yet)
19.15
is the NUS just for SABBS not students?
Liam : No
19.15
Q: Is NUS just for Sabbs and not students?
Liam breaks a sweat here
19.14
2000 students at risk of being deported from London Met, NUS took legal action – stopped that happening – seems we could use that kind of help
19.13
Answer to Bees: NUS is democratic, it’s not just me. Liam has fought tuition fees in Scotland… but is yet to do this England
19.13
“Liam Burns: I’ve spent all my time in Scotland fighting tuition fees.” – seems to working for them, lucky buggers!
19.13
Can Liam sympathize with students in England (He’s Scottish) paying £9,000 a year. He’s head of the National Union of Students, I would assume that’s a given…
19.13
Do Scottish people need a visa?
19.12
Q:Ellis 3rd yr:
“started a business in 3rd year. Internationally students cannot do this due to visas can NUS help on that”
A: “Active are on visas hugely problematic an area we need to look into, get it on our agenda”
19.12
Liam ‘spent all my time in Scotland fighting tuition fees and we still don’t have them’ BURN
19.12
Question from Bees: “Liam, you’ve been out of education for 6 years and as a Scottish citizen who went to a Scottish university, you didn’t pay fees. How can you sympathise with English students paying £9k fees a year?”
19.12
It’s good to see how honest Liam is when he’s unsure about something.
19.11
You’re Scottish, what do you know about us? Nice…
19.11
Sasha daydreaming about the day he can take Liam’s place
19.11
More people leaving the room, probs made up their mind already
19.10
Grace Cameron: Is the Trustee board of SUSU actually represetative of 22,000 students?
Erm, No actually.
19.10
So basically WE decide whether to opt into NUSSL
19.10
So opt in’s such as NUSSL will go to a trustee council, not just a decision by random higher ups.
19.10
almost all trustees elected by student body
19.09
trustee board will decide whether we should join NUSL, if controversial it will be brought to union council
19.09
Meh2NUS resorted to angry birds
19.09
Sam Ling now talking
19.09
If your group has a good idea, you can apply for cash from a £150,000 pot to get your scheme of the ground.
19.08
Liam Burns is giving out his own email address. Risky!
19.07
Liam “Only 5 groups of students across the entire country will be successful in getting a share of the 120k”
19.07
Liam doesn’t know how much money students can get from NUS funds… awkward
19.07
51k+ is a lot for some awards we may get nominated for – be easier to buy them a kit kat
19.07
National awards will not replace SUSU’s, but just add to more of them!
19.06
Q: what about our own union and university’s funding for entreprenuers?
19.05
Hurry up Liam, we just wanna get a nice pint of FOSTERS in the Stags
19.04
They’re really struggling for questions here – Sabbs obviously not the BNOC’s they thought they were
19.04
All these people who are ‘undecided’. Translates to NO.
19.03
Liam just listed off some of the other Russell Group uni’s in NUS. Seems like we’re late to the party.
19.03
First question from a strong no…
19.03
Q: Can you help with you Nightlife at SUSU
A: “NO!”
19.02
Lucy ‘LAD’ Upshall firing questions at Liam on nightlife. He says NUS wont interfere with nightlife – but considering SUSU only had SIXTY people turn up to a Cube night last week- surely SUSU need all the help they can get. Shame on you NUS for not offering what students actually want
19.00
Shane is looking really quiet here. Maybe he’s out of his depth?
19.00
if you don’t agree with NUS policies, join and argue why at conference
18.58
I wonder if NUS policy is as stringent as SUSU policy…
18.58
Liam says NUS are a CONFEDERATION.
18.58
According to Liam we are always the boss.
18.57
Talking about the welfare of students on campus – whether groups of students should feel safe on their campus!
18.57
Response to Liam on the floor: “we should allow students to questions fascists and make their own minds up.”
18.57
From the floor: Students should be trusted to make their own minds up on who to listen to
18.56
Liam “you are a student of Southampton – you should decide your platform locally”
18.56
NUS have a policy of no platform – SU can choose not to adopt this policy
18.56
People already leaving..
18.56
Liam: “you have your own policy in you Union”. But why have the NUS still hassled uninions to remove articles in their student papers?
18.55
Liam Burns: Students should feel safe on campus. The idea of a first year student trying to come out and reading a comment from Nick Griffin, is something I don’t agree with.
18.55
Openly admitting that he wanted certain articles by uni papers to be censored – something to look forward to
18.55
no platform is about protecting students and making campus a safe space – still not enforced on student unions
18.54
Liam “I dont think Nick Griffin article should’ve been printed”. Wow, Liam you’ve just said you dont agree with freedom of the press.
18.54
Submission on Twitter:
“if they’re not politically biased why do so many of them end up working for the Labour Party? Last five presidents etc”
18.54
Question about “No Platform”
18.53
No influenced on the Nightlife of SUSU. Shame as it isn’t exactly great at the moment…
18.53
Surprisingly the Meh team are still in the room – must be feeling sorry for the lack of numbers
18.53
Liam outlining NUS policy – but other unions don’t follow it. Why should we?
18.53
Q: “stance on the no platform policy?”
A; “position on campus; work on Campus, Shannon’s position individual issue. Not fair to comment can comment OFFLINE”
18.52
Unions = organisations of students…just saying
18.52
the students union will dictate what action the NUS can take
18.51
Students union dictates to NUS, not the other way around.
18.51
‘we work for the Students Union’
18.51
Liam: “NUS works for student unions” – you said it there Liam – for unions, not students.
18.50
Asking three questions at a time to make sure that they get as many as possible.
18.50
Liam being a true politician and chatting loads of propaganda. Now we know where the Sabbs learn it from!
18.49
Tara is voting yes, yet asking an awkward question. Fair enough.
18.49
Liam Burns £1.50 is only 1 pint
Soton student Sorry that’s 3 pints, 50p on a Monday!
18.49
Not a Labour Party? so why are all but 2 of your committee left wingers
18.49
Liam has a close relationship with Dave Willits.
18.49
Liam claiming that they have no affiliation to any political party
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NUS is NOT party political – Liam
18.48
The NUS campaign for us anyway so why do they need 51k+?
18.48
Q2 “Oliver leaning towards no:
What kind of gaps do you see in SUSU ATM?
A2: “More funding, bigger backing etc.”
18.47
Liam” No NUS is not a Labour club”. I dont believe that for a second.
18.46
Shame they only talk to MP’s with no power
18.46
NUS seem to be appealing to our elitist side – theme need us to help with campaigns…
18.45
Apparently we’re a good students union. That’s nice to hear 
18.45
Q1: “Vincent: average student:
affiliation fee that amount. How are we not going to finance the unions that are not paying less than us?”
A1: affiliation fee starts at £26k then up to £50k. £50k based on full/part-time/commercial turnover. YOU ARE PAYING FOR OTHERS. I’ll put that in context about £1.50 per student per year.
18.45
Decreasing the amount we pay to be part year on year. Sounds good!
18.45
Decline in tuition fees? pretty sure you didn’t stop the 9k fees
18.44
£1.50 per student. Not much!
18.44
They’re doing ‘everything they can’ to bring down affiliation fees, but not before we join…
18.44
‘NUS has year on year reduced affiliation fees – doing everything we can to reduce them’ Liam
18.43
“Should NUS reduce expenses, reducing the fee for unions?”
Liam: Er, Yes, probably
18.43
‘collective organisation’
18.42
debate NOT about money it’s about how much SUSU will benefit from NUS affiliatio, although £50k is a LOT of money
18.42
So our affiliation fee pays for members other than Southampton Uni…
18.41
Q: How is £50 affiliation fee calculated
A: based on union turnover and number of students. You ARE paying for other unions
18.41
He’s got excellent maths skills as well its 51k+
18.41
The audit report says if we take advantage of the benefits of NUS we’d pay £32k.
18.40
Now for questions to Liam… still need subtitles for us lot in here
18.40
Some difficult questions there Liam!
18.40
No team are just getting warmed up with Liam
18.40
Liam’s struggling to hear questions tugging to listen to the students…
18.39
Considering the affiliation fee, how can we be sure we’re not funding other unions paying less?
18.39
Liam having to write down questions – showing of his memory skills well
18.38
All the websites are different for all unions and altered for what each uni needs.
18.38
Liam on an NUS appstore ? Good for all you tech heads.
18.38
Explaination about digital now.
18.38
Yay we now get to grill the Scotsman (do they pay tuition fees?)
18.38
asking about the website package – why do we need NUS help when we can use our students to make our website
18.37
Q&A starts with…Anthony
18.37
The questions are starting, lets see how they handle them…
18.36
Liams talking now.
18.36
Liam’s turn to talk
18.35
Someone is speaking in a Scottish accent. Can anyone translate for us?
18.35
Iv’ed seen more people at a James Blunt tribute act show then in attendance today
18.35
“That is an unashamably cheesy video”
18.34
It’s nice to see them helping students, not just the Sabbs!
18.34
Well at least Jamie admitted their videos are cheesy…
18.34
Admitting that it’s a cheesy video. How honest!
18.33
“Those of you who are well-connected with your students union, may find this patronising but it’s one of the most successful campaigns we’ve run recently’
18.33
Talking about change now, and how NUS can help you create national change.
18.33
Looks like NUS wants us to recycle more
18.32
Shout out to the bloggers right now! More than just Bees blogging. We’ve got Kez, Anthony, Josie, Vince, Sam, Brednon blogging. Will add authors at the end
18.32
I think the message from this video is change..North sure though..
18.32
Yet another video – bet they didn’t use NUS Digital to make it!
18.32
Talking about change now.
18.31
Uh oh, mention of spotify
18.31
Not sure why Liam couldn’t do this presentation himself
18.31
Shane is starring transfixed and lovingly at Liam.
18.31
NUS dragons den, next big hit!
18.31
looks like we’re about to get another video…
18.30
The female members of the audience can’t keep their eye’s off Liam, he must have his fly’s undone
18.30
Green Impact:
- 102 Green Impact Unions (41 Gold)
18.30
NUS talking about Green schemes. But Soton just won an award last night praising the Blackout!, and that’s not even NUS related at all
18.29
Jamie gets a smile just talking about a lot of these projects!
18.29
Liam’s fiddling with a pen by the projector, he looks very interested…
18.29
What the heck is a “liberation activist”?! Stop with the buzzwords!
18.29
Moving on to the student skills awards. National accreditation for the skills you’ve earned at uni – government and CBI approved.
18.29
NUS are big supporters of segregating students
18.28
Activism
- 2050 students trained at 61 unions
- 550 liberation activists trained
- 600 attended liberation conferences
18.28
These NUS types keep talking but not actually saying anything I can understand
18.27
First we’re hearing from Liam. Explaining what liberation campaigns are.
18.27
Message from a reader:
“Think the NUS take lessons from ISolutions on how to do an impersonal and uninformative presentation ;)”
18.27
Quick Question – Who think’s Jamie’s fit?
18.27
600 students attended liberation conferences.
18.27
NUS training everyone, helping every student get active!
18.25
NUS – “Making change happen”. Still yet to hear exactly what though 
18.25
Jamies back talking again!
18.25
Apparently e-voting is brand new – don’t we already have that?
18.24
More chat about NUS Digital – but no one has really said how much it costs
18.24
To quote an unamed member of the audience who is half falling asleep: “Is it over yet?”
18.24
Union cloud looks helpful!
18.23
We can see a few people in the room following our blog on their phones! Shout out to everyone reading
18.23
NUS digital “Greatly enhanced platform… Meeting standards that have been set “
18.23
NUS digital doesn’t look too different from SUSSED and SUSU’s websites
18.22
“NUS Digital has been built with membership in mind, Ads more targeted and relevant”. Doesn’t SUSU already do this?
18.22
NUS digital is now being explained. A platform which can help SUSU understand and engage with students.
18.22
NUS Digital – because ‘out of the box’ websites look really cool…
18.21
We’re seeing some cool graphics, not a lot of talking from NUS Jamie though
18.21
NUS is aiming to reach out to 7 million learners – thats HE and 6th form students too
18.21
And another video hits the screen… This time we’re looking to the futurethe future
18.20
Another YouTube video being played. This one has clicky sounds.
18.20
Keep your comments coming in!
18.19
We’ve just added a poll to our . Give it a vote!
18.19
A beautiful diagram on what the NUS does is being quickly skimmed over…
18.19
NUS Services does “some stuff which for you guys is quite boring” – from Jamie
18.18
Apparently NUS is a charity and offers services, according to Jamie
18.18
“we are our members”
18.17
Apparently Liam Burns can float in space! Who knew…
18.17
Florence and the Machine’s Shake it Out is gracing our ears. Is that a reference to boring unions?
18.16
NUS history video, bit corny but very inspiring !
18.16
Well this is a cheary video…
18.16
Lights have gone down for empowering film on the history of NUS
18.15
The half empty room is now being shown a video on NUS history, or propaganda – depends which way you want to see it.
18.15
Florence has joined us! In form of a YouTube video about student unions.
18.15
Happy Birthday NUS, apparently they are 90 years old this year
18.14
Having a little history lesson on NUS
18.14
NUS is talking us through their missions…
18.14
Jamie just made a comment to the wall of laptops at the back
18.13
A bloke from NUS called Jamie is now talking. I guess they only operate in first terms
18.13
Welcome talk from someone we don’t know. He reckons all questions should asked along with our orientation on the issue. Is so that Liam can tailor his answers to sway opinions?
18.12
Where’s your poppy Jamie?
18.11
So close to Burns night… Yet so far!
18.10
Liam is here, sporting a fetching leather jacket…
18.10
And we’ve started!
18.09
The projected slide is showing “Welcome to NUS”…
Erm, pretty sure we haven’t voted on that yet!
18.06
Waiting for it to start….
18.04
We are now live!
As if Liam Burns has his own facebook like page, what a sad cunt
Reply
NUS Referendum > US Election
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Why are we wasting our time with this bullshit when we should be debating more pressing issues like NOC devolution?
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They may take our £50K, but they’ll NEVER take our FREEDOOOOMMMMMM!
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Shame the NUS seems to have naff all power altogether anyway
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Love that most of these posts are so biased one way or the other…awks
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Yes there are more authors! We’ll add those contributors in at the end of the blog as our site is playing up a bit with the author names
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Love how people are actually calling him BeesNOC now
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i agree ‘Former tab editor’ 😉
‘doesBeesNOC have split personality disorder or are there more uncredited livebloggers?’- clearly you don’t know how tab liveblogs work. there are normally at least 3 of us there!
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Dont flatter yourself Bees 😛
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Also another point, this is very difficult to read due to the different authors bias! #mehtonus
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Thanks Tab for a lighthearted look at the referendum!
Really well done 😀
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Still gonna vote No.
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“18.55
no platform is about protecting students and making campus a safe space – still not enforced on student unions”
Liam Burns thinks students should be protected from thinking about serious and salient political issues. That’s not in our best interests.
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